The 1897 Christmas Exhibition of the Hungarian Applied Arts Association

The Hungarian Applied Arts Association opened its 1897 Christmas Exhibition in the new building of the National Museum of Applied Arts in November, at the opening ceremony of the building itself. The exhibition was of crucial importance for the applied arts in Hungary, and by securing the cooperation of every significant figure in Hungarian crafts, the Association was determined to put on a truly imposing show. To motivate craftspeople, the Hungarian Royal Ministry of Religious Affairs and Education founded a 500-franc gold medal for the best exhibit, and the Association spent a further 400 crowns on awards for the best craft products. The Association also ran a raffle to finance the event, selling 10,000 one-crown tickets, most of the revenue going towards the pieces put up for raffle. The exhibition committee comprised Győző Czigler (chair), Ignác Alpár, Kamill Fittler, Ferenc Jakabffy, István Kiss, Róbert Nádler, Jenő Radisics, Lajos Rauscher, Endre Thék and Kálmán Györgyi (Association secretary). A contemporary newspaper report tells us: “These items were made at the initiative and expense of the Association, to selected designs that mainly bear the influence of Ödön Faragó. This little collection makes clear to us that our own workers in the craft industries have sensed the wind of the new times.

The foremost craft artists were: Pál Horti, János Thurnherr, Ernő Förk, Endre Thék, Vilmos Farkasházi-Fischer, Gizella Greguss (Mirkovszky Gézáné), Walther and Howindt, Lázár Nagy, Manó Gelb, József Bernstein, Mór (Moritz) Hirschler, Sándor Árkay, Gyula Jungfer, Sarolta Kovalszky Wittmann and the Zsolnay company.

s.au. 'Fölhívás' in: Magyar Iparművészet 1897/ 1. szám; III. MűMELLéKLET. 38-39.

Lyka K. 'A Magyar iparművészet karácsonya' in: Magyar Iparművészet 1897/ 4. szám; 145-162.

by Jessica Fehérvári